Sitting in the evening breeze, a glass of Albanica

in the hand, Dritan Prifti is proudly contemplating

his 12-hectare vineyard, planted by hand

on the coasts of Albania.

The view is stunning: Ardenica, an orthodox monastery from 750 years back is standing like a guardian over this Mediterranean landscape covered by pine trees and grapevines. The monastery, strategically located in the axes of Ancient Greece and Rome, is even today an outstanding part of local and national culture.

 

Albanica wine is the unique produce of a historic terroir: hit by the Mediterranean breeze every evening and abundantly exposed to sunlight during the day, the slopes have an ideal loamy soil composition, a perfect mix of 30% sand, 50% silt and 20% clay, full of organic matter. It keeps the moisture and is nutrient rich, makes them ideal for cultivation Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot for growing highest quality wine.

 

As Dritan Prifti rediscovered the unique qualities of this coastline for wine making, he hustled to ask his friend and Master Volker Scheu to help him bring his wine to perfection. Volker brought the know-how of a century-old German wine-producer family along, 

to give Albanica its extraordinary flavour, between Western and Eastern wine tradition.

Dritan has never been so proud of his land.

 

When asked about his collaboration with Volker,

he just says, “there’s no doubt this had to be:

Volker and I, we are the same hand”.

A four-hand piece emerging out of tradition employing

the most modern technology, Albanica is going to be

a marvelous revelation for every wine connoisseur 

in the world.